World Golf Tour

Phil starts slow but rebounds

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AKRON, Ohio – Plenty of rust on Thursday at Firestone and not all of it was on that signature water tower adjacent the Ohio club’s layout.

Phil Mickelson started his round with an unsightly double bogey at the 11th hole, the product of a poor approach, poor chip and poor putt for bogey. But, as he always does, Lefty bounced back with a birdie at the 12th, his third hole.

“Does anybody rebound from a double bogey better than Phil?” asked sports psychologist Gio Valiante, who was following the group.

Mickelson added another miscue before the turn, all of which suggests that the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, a deep field and marquee event, may be little more than a tune-up for next week’s big finish at Hazeltine National.

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Hoggard, a senior writer, covers the PGA Tour and appears on-air in several capacities.